champagne taste and a beer wallet
Expensive or extravagant tastes or preferences that are beyond one's economic means. I only earn minimum wage, but I can't stop buying designer clothes and eating at the best restaurants—I guess I've got champagne taste and a beer wallet! A: "Of course Ralph wants to stay at a lavish hotel. How exactly does he plan to pay for it, though?" B: "Good question. You know he's always had champagne taste and a beer wallet." When you have champagne taste and a beer wallet, you really need to look out for and take advantage of sales.
let the moths out of (one's) wallet
To stop being so frugal. The image suggests that one's wallet is opened so rarely that moths have been able to take up residence inside. Come on, you can buy a beautiful new car like this. Let the moths out of your wallet for once. Good luck getting him to let the moths out of his wallet and spring for dinner.
lighten (one's) wallet
1. To spend a large amount of money. (When speaking of one's own actions.) My sister loves to shop. She's always out looking for new ways to lighten her wallet.
2. To take money from someone; to cause someone to spend a significant amount of money. (When speaking of someone or something acting on another person.) Sure, it's a nice hotel, but it will lighten your wallet faster than you can say "overpriced." I'm always wary of souvenir merchants in foreign cities, whose sole objective is to lighten travelers' wallets.
vote with (one's) wallet
1. To vote for a politician or on a political issue based on how one thinks the decision will affect one's financial situation. They are trying to appeal to voters' emotions with their proposed tax increase, saying that it will help fund badly needed infrastructure improvements, but most people are simply going to vote their wallets. Regardless of the popularity of their social policies, an incumbent president has a very good chance of being reelected if the economy is booming, as people naturally tend to vote with their wallets.
2. To choose to support or boycott a company, store, product, etc., as a demonstration of one's views, values, or principles. If you really don't like the company's controversial new policy, you need to vote with your wallet. If people keep paying for their products, they're never going to change! The store was forced to backtrack on its decision after sales dropped a staggering 75%. It's clear that customers voted with their wallets. A: "I don't think people will want us to make such drastic changes to our smartphone model." B: "We need to do something to reinvigorate the brand, so let them vote with their wallets."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.